Mass Effect Bounty Hunter
by MassEffectBountyHunter
Summary: Keith Sawyer is the best bounty hunter Earth has to offer, but he's never had to leave Earth until now... Chased out of his comfort zone by a secret organization hunting his family, Earth's best has to quickly adapt if he wants to make it in the dog-eats-dog world of bounty hunting... Oh, and then there's her.
1. KIller

**Mass Effect Bounty Hunter**

"_I'm just a simple man trying to make my way in the universe." –Jango Fett_

The rain pounds on rooftops and me alike, but I still manage to hunch over and light tonight's third cigarette.

Straightening to puff smoke into the misty night, I lean back against the building and continue allowing my feet to dangle over the ledge. I frown at the rain before looking down at my omni-tool to check the time. Damn, it's 7:57 P.M.

"Son of a bitch," I curse, letting more smoke spill out of my mouth. _I've been waiting on this target way too long... _

Looking away from my omni-tool at the sizeable night club below, I can easily see the balcony. It's a fairly large semi-circle, decorated with plants and chairs to accompany the city's sights. _Hell, those chairs look a lot more comfortable than this ledge. _

Suddenly, the glass doors slide open on the balcony emitting a small old man. Tensing my body in place for a moment, I slowly tilt my head down at my omni-tool once more. 7:58 P.M, way later than expected, but here nonetheless. My intel inside the nightclub pulled through then. _Good. _

Briskly I put out my cigarette and grab my silver helmet nearby, easily slipping it over my drenched hair with a smile. I follow that motion up by unfolding the Mantis sniper rifle resting on my lap, and staring down its scope. Verifying it's my target, a wolfish grin crosses my lips.

_Now the hunt is on..._

Carefully twisting around on the slippery ledge, I hoist myself onto the building's main roof and spin back around in a prone position to face the nightclub. My target is still talking to someone inside halfway out the door apparently, maybe security? If so, nothing he tells them will matter, all the security in the world can't save him from me.

Activating my helmet's thermal vision, I watch Henry J. Reynold's white silhouette approach the railing lazily. He calmly seems to be admiring the rain, and by looking through the gun's scope, I confirm that observation to be true.

Interesting how the club owner is fascinated by something so simple, but I do suppose we all have our little habits. _Mine just happens to be the thrill of the hunt._

Stopping midway between the glass doors and the railing, Mr. Reynolds takes a long swallow of his drink.

"Damn it. Just a few more steps you tortoise," I whisper.

As if hearing my plea for a moment, my prey takes a step forward only to pause once more. I pull away from the scope and stare at him in wonder.

Then out of nowhere, Mr. Reynolds starts striding back to the doors at an alarming pace. _Good, now the hunt just got a little fun. _

Sucking in air, I let my predatory instincts kick in and press my helmet's 'T' shaped visor to the scope. Sheer adrenaline fuels my veins now, and I can feel my heart racing with excitement. I have roughly five seconds to the pull the trigger and take him out.

5… His white back is narrow, lightning flashes.

4… His steps seem to be wider; his feet splashing through puddles.

3… A batarian is shifting inside to open the doors.

2… He's reaching for the door himself with his free hand.

_1… My finger squeezes the trigger lightly…_


	2. Party

**Mass Effect Bounty Hunter**

"_Trust no one, but use everyone." -Jango Fett_

The potent smell of cigarettes lingers in the convenience store's basement as I continue to focus on the clock. 7:59 P.M, the exact time Henry J. Reynold's hit the ground dead last night. _How amusing. _

Thirty-one minutes more until I can leave this place. It's moldy, damp, with way too many cobwebs for my liking. Unused crates, some more cobwebs, a rotten smell, the place is just a dump in general.

This goes without mentioning the sweat trickling down my brow. I'm really hot, but only because I'm wearing my silver suit of armor. The only piece I have off at the moment is my helmet so I can smoke freely. Besides, it's not like any unwanted company will wander down the stairs without me being told beforehand. I've got the shopkeeper in cahoots with me. Yet, say he betrays me, well then I have a planned escape. One blast through the ceiling with a rocket, and I'll jet pack up and out of a first story window. _That would be a relief from this boring dump, but I doubt that escape route will have to be taken. _

So here I sit, waiting for someone to request a _'special delivery'_' to the shopkeeper. My helper would then radio me ahead, and I would prepare to receive that particular someone in the chair across from me. In fact, the chair appears to have gathered dust since I moved it there.

Starting to fiddle with my omni-tool to check the news, I try to ignore my lack of patience. Eventually, a small holographic screen lights up as I read the headlines of the New York Times, _**Unnamed Assailant Kills Henry J. Reynolds. **_I can't help but chuckle out loud at that, seconds before my ear comm. buzzes.

"_Hey bud; you got a guy coming down to see ya. Athletic build, African American, haven't seen em' ever before... Best be careful, bud." _

I click my omni-tool off with one hand, and push the respond button on my comm. with the other.

"Thanks for the heads up, Pete," I reply, before sliding my helmet on.

Sure enough, the staircase in front of me echoes with footsteps. Heavier steps by the sound of it, meaning he might walk heel-first or be bigger than just athletic. Turns out to be a bit of both, I decide.

He's easily six feet, two-hundred pounds I'd estimate, and looks to be in his early thirties or late twenties. His brown eyes are dark with suspicion as he approaches me, stepping heel-first like I had guessed.

"Have a seat," I announce, gesturing with one hand.

Hesitantly he obeys, his eyes locking onto my helmet's visor. I feel relaxed though, this guy doesn't have chance if he tries to pull a gun on me. Underneath the table, I click my suit's wrist flamethrower on, just in case.

"You're the Titan, right?"

I nod slowly, no point in saying anything to that. _This is strict business. _

"Alright, well, my name is John Gibson. I work for a big movie producing company here in Boston, Nexus Films, ever heard of them?" I shake my head.

"Okay, well anyways, we have a _job_ for you," he says in a hushed voice. I nod and make a rolling gesture with my hand. He catches on immediately, jumping into an explanation.

"We had an actress quit on us a few months back and she happened to win a lawsuit against us for not fulfilling our side of the contract. Long story short, what we want you do, is kidnap her, and frighten her into giving us our money back. Nothing illegal on our part she can tell the authorities, just you, but I hear you're the best, is that true?"

I nod, mulling my thoughts around this job.

"Got a picture of her," I ask, surprising him. _Good, client uncertainty is always good. _

"Yeah, I figured you might want to see one. Lemme pull one up on my omni-tool." Narrowing my eyes at him, I ready my wrist flamethrower at him underneath the table. After a few seconds, a holographic photo of a gorgeous woman wearing a black dress pops up. _Well, she's hot._

Pretty blue eyes, sleek black hair, lean, and great curves make for a beautiful woman. Even the woman's pearly-white smile looks perfect.

"Yeah, that's her, Rebecca White. We know she's at a party in the Riviera Tower tonight. About ten minutes from here," John informs me. _I do love a good party but... _

"Who's _we_? I need to know exactly who I'm working for," I demand.

"Um, the directors and I from Nexus Films I guess. If you want to be specific." He folds his arms, his face growing more comfortable around me by the second.

"Okay next question, then we sign a contract. What's the payment?"

John smirks at me.

"How does five-thousand sound?"

I nod right away, pushing a datapad his way. He stares at it in confusion for a second before realizing it wants his signature. He signs it sloppily and shoves it back my way looking content.

"So you're in?"

I nod once more, getting him to grin and laugh a little.

"Great! The party starts at ten tonight, oh, and here's your ticket in," he adds, pushing a fat white barcode at me. Picking it up, I eye it closely before clasping it into one of my belt's pouches. He watches me do the action before continuing to speak. "I think we're all set then. When we receive the credits she stole from us, come visit our studio downtown early in the morning, we'll be there to give you your pay." John stands up, a smile on his face.

"Nice doing business with you, Mr. Gibson. Don't double cross me, and you'll have your money back."

"Oh no worries Titan, we know your reputation. Nice doing business with you, I hope to see you real soon." With that, the man marches back upstairs. As soon as he disappears from view, I press a finger to my ear.

"Pete he's on his way back up. Keep an eye on him for anything suspicious."

"_Will do, I see em' now." _

Standing up, I stretch my stiff limbs gratefully. I stop with my arms in the air to read the clock. 8:08, about two hours to get ready for a party. _Plenty of time._

**XXX **

Setting the small cruiser to autopilot, I glance back down at my lap to the task at hand. Careful not to touch the dart's tip, I pop the thing open and allow it's purple fluid to drip into a small vial. When the last drop slips free, I toss the empty dart aside and seal the vial with a small cap. _Malkite themfar, this should knock her out easily enough. _

Slipping the vial into one of my white tuxedo pockets, I take control of the cruiser once more, just as Riviera Tower comes into full view.

The tower is magnificent. It stands so tall, the city of Boston seems to rally around it. However, Riviera Tower is nothing more than offices, a few ballrooms, and a couple of banks. _I did my homework. _

I also took the time to run a background check on John Gibson and his film company. Everything checked through with the exception of Mr. Gibson's I.D picture. It appeared that he was younger than the man I had met today, but I have no way of telling when the photo was taken. So, Rebecca White turned out to be my decision maker, and when her details on the extranet turned out true, I found the job acceptable.

Flying up to one of the tower's massive sides, I begin my ascent of about forty floors. It takes some time, but upon reaching the top, I easily manage to park myself between two kodiak shuttles.

Tapping the M-5 Phalanx hidden in my coat and the small vial in my coat pocket, I slip a pack of cigarettes into my pants pocket. Lastly, I glance over my shoulder to check on the jet pack, making sure it's in line with the cruiser's rear windows.

_Now, it's showtime. _

Stepping out of my cruiser, I adjust my tux and watch a pompous couple arm in arm walk by. Casually walking after them, I follow them down into a dark staircase echoing with commotion. At the bright bottom of stairs, we find two burly, well-armed guards with monotone faces.

"Names and tickets, please," the bald guard addresses the couple.

"James Carter and this is my wife Avera T'Ala," the man says, indicating the asari. The other guard lifts his datapad to eye level and reads for a moment, while the bald guard accepts two tickets from Mr. Carter.

"They're clear," the younger guard announces, looking up at his partner.

"Alright, head on in, enjoy your evening." When the door slides open, the guards move to let the couple through the door, giving me a brief glimpse inside. The door flies shut behind the couple, both guards turn their attention to me.

"Name and ticket, please?"

With the pokerface of a lifetime on, I produce the ticket from my pocket and give it to him.

"Name's Henry Murtock," I lie. _I already know the names are pointless. _

The bald guard impatiently looks to his comrade who seems to be struggling with the datapad.

"Let me see," he grunts, yanking the datapad from comrade. He examines it thoroughly for a time, then hovers it up and down at me. "Your... clear, sir," he utters, lowering the datapad. _I love the security jammer in my omni-tool. _

His partner takes it back from him and soon the door emits me into the party. Inside I find a golden fountain, hundreds of people, and lines of tables coated in delicious food. I even spy a smoking lounge in the far back, kind of near the outdoor patio doors. Said patio is very large, and quite unpopulated. _Perhaps that's where I'll try and lead her tonight. _

Within three steps of the extravagant ballroom, a guest notices me and springs.

"Welcome to the party man, what's your costume?" _Eh, Scarface..._

"Supposed to be some kind of mob outfit, at least that's what the costume store owner said." The man nods slowly, then takes a swallow of his drink.

"Ah, I'm dressed as a lawyer," he laughs, getting a little smile out of me. "Oh come now, I'm not one for costumes." Again, I smile a little.

"Same." The guest swallows more of his drink and looks around the room. _Go find someone else to pester. _

"Well, n-nice ah... meeting you," he stutters, swiftly leaving my presence. I watch long enough to see him scurry into a trio of women, before pressing on through the dancefloor unimpressed.

I hear voices young and old, see humans and aliens, and even smell the ripe stench of sweat, yet still my eyes search the ballroom restlessly. I had spent ten minutes analyzing her photographs on the extranet, only twelve actually taken well. The rest were blurry and layered in viruses. T_hose twelve photos were enough though, I just need to find her. _

I make brief eye contact with a young woman there, another there, but neither turn out be my target. In the center of the ballroom, I stop and change directions, making for the food aroma of roast beef and fresh salads' greet my nose a good ten seconds before I lay eyes on the food.

My mouth waters as I get closer to the plates, but someone urgent come into view first. _Rebecca White. _

The young actress appears as glamorous in person as she did on the extranet. Every detail radiates from her glorious body, catching the eyes of many in the room . Hell,_ the tight red dress looks amazing on on her. _

My stomach growls when my feet veer off course from the food and track her instead. Her walking speed forces me to stride through the crowd after her in a circle. Finally, after much unnecessary movement, she ends up talking to a old man not ten steps from where she started.

Not taking my eyes off her, I steal a glass of wine from a moving server's tray and drink deeply. _Time for some flirting. _

"Oh yes, a splendid evening indeed, miss," the old man chuckles. He only stops when he sees me nearing her from behind. "I'll leave you two alone... Have a good night, miss." He walks off leaving Rebecca hopelessly confused until she turns around and sees me.

"So that's why he ran off in such a hurry. He thought my suitor was coming to retrieve me," she says, narrowing her eyes at me. I smirk and shrug before taking another swallow of sweet red wine.

"Sorry to ruin your awesome banter with Mr. Mold," I joke, getting a wry smile.

"He was a bit of a bore, I'll confess, but you appear much more... _interesting_." _Oh?_

"And why might that be, Miss...?"

"White. Rebecca White actually. Pleasure to meet you...?"

"Henry, you can just call me Henry."

She smiles at me, her pearly-white teeth seemingly sparkling.

"A pleasure to meet you then, Henry," she says, her eyes following a serving tray with a single drink left. I step in front of the salarian server and relieve him off his final drink, handing it to Rebecca. "Oh, thanks. What you do for a living, Henry?"

I slip my hand into my pocket to grasp the cigarettes inside.

"I'm a weapons manufacturer for the Kassa Fabrication," I lie. Her face shows no signs of detecting anything as she nods.

"A manufacturer, how fancy..." I laugh at that and drink, my other hand still clutching the cigs. "So you make conventional weapons, I presume?" I step towards a table by the wall, setting my empty glass down.

"Yeah, for the most part. I specialize in handguns."

"Really? I shoot every once in awhile."

"And hit the target once for every three shots, right?" She smiles and slaps my arm lightly.

"I'll have you know I don't miss," she replies. I detect a certain sense of pride in that comment. _A girl who can shoot, pssh yeah right. _

"You're awfully cocky for an actress. You realize the guns on set are nothing like the real ones, right princess?" A smile breaks my lips when she rolls her eyes.

"It's not cocky if I'm stating facts. Secondly, I don't do action movies. I've only starred in one." _The Interceptor. _I only know that because of the brief research I did on her beforehand.

Still, she's got a little bit of an edge to her. Might make forcing her to cooperate a little tricky, but I've broken krogan before, so I'm not too concerned. _I just need a second to drip the poison in her drink. _

"I apologize for not knowing your filmography, but I don't really consider myself much of a stalker," another lie leaves my lips. She smiles and moves closer to me.

"You're sweet," she says, patting my chest. "Now hold my drink while I visit the ladies' room. I'll be right back." _Perfect mistake princess. _

As soon as she's out of sight and I appear boring to bystanders, I pull the vial from my pocket and quickly taint her wine with the neurotoxin. _One sip and she'll faint into unconsciousness now. _

Waiting for her to return, I pass the time by test tasting various foods. Starting with the monster shrimp supposedly from Tuchanka, I go through the table finishing with a bite of juicy steak. Satisfied, I spin away from the table to find Rebecca deviously smiling.

"Hey handsome, why don't we go out on the balcony and stargaze?" The invitation is random, but it saves me from asking her to go out there. So there's no reason to object.

"Sure. I'll warn you I'm not much of an astronomer though," I answer, giving her the drink back. She glances down at it for a second then back to me with a seductive smile.

"Come on," she whispers, leaning forward to grab my wrist. From there, she pulls me through the ballroom at a consistent pace, not stopping for anything. Much quicker than anticipated, we're stepping outside and a cool breeze slaps my face.

"What a night," she gasps, hurrying towards the railing. I follow slowly, glancing left and right for other guests. "It's even a full moon, how spectacular." _We're all alone. Perfect. _

I stop next to her gazing up at the moon. From my pocket I draw a single cigarette and stick it between my lips.

"You smoke," she asks. I turn to her with raised brows, but say nothing. Silence ensues for a long while, convincing her to finally take a sip of wine. Staring diligently, I watch the glass touch her lips before she yanks it away, glaring at me.

"How stupid do you think I am?"

"Um, sorry, I don't follow...," I mutter.

"This," she holds up the glass, "Is poisoned." She lets the glass fall to the balcony floor and shatter, sending a warm flash of confusion through me. "You're also a liar, Keith."

_What? How does she know my name...? Someone must be helping her. _

"What? My name's Henry, I've already told you that," I say uncertainly, pulling the cig from my mouth.

"Do you take me for an incompetent fool? You're the only idiot here Keith, and you've walked right into our trap. Now, make this simple and come nicely. That way we won't have to sweep your corpse of the deck." _We? Who the hell is we? _

"You better do as she asks. She's not as generous as I am," a familiar voice says behind me, accompanying the click of a gun. _John Gibson is a fraud. He set me up. _

I don't even bother to turn around knowing it's him. Instead, I keep my eyes locked with Rebecca's, suddenly coming to the realization that Rebecca White is fake. _That's why she has such a lack of pictures on the extranet for an actress... _

"Do yourself a favor and put your arms behind your back, _bounty hunter_," she snaps, her eyes alight with hostility.

"And if I don't?"

"Then I'll be forced to kill you," John calls from behind.

I sigh heavily. For the first time in a long while, I've been tricked.

* * *

**A/N: This chapter was revised from the original for the better in my opinion! I really like it now and hope you guys do too! XD**


	3. Escape

**Mass Effect Bounty Hunter**

"_Always be polite, especially to your enemies." -Jango Fett_

A strong evening breeze blows my bangs across my face as I continue to stare at her. Her eyes burn into mine and I can feel the resent. The hate. Calmly I start to put the cigarette back in my mouth.

"Stop! Shoot him John! He could be going for a weapon!"

I tense for a moment in fear of being killed, but when I light the cigarette without getting a bullet in the back, I no longer have cause to worry. _It would appear John got cold feet._

"This is my assignment Miranda, not yours. But I'll only ask nicely one more time Keith, put your hands behind your back." _Miranda, eh? _

I inhale on the cig before pulling it from my lips to gaze across Boston's nightlife. A million thoughts gush through my head, but only one causes any real attention at this time.

"May I ask why the two of you wish me to accompany you? I'm sure it's not because of my good looks," I muse, looking at Miranda. She glares in response, her face impassive to my dry humor.

"Telling you classified information would jeopardize our mission," she explains cooly, shooting a look at her partner behind me.

I let a funnel of smoke slip from my lips and nod. Stroking my hair with a free hand, I look across the city again. I can hear handcuffs click open a few feet behind me. _John is getting closer. _

"So _Miranda_... you wouldn't happen to be Miranda Lawson, would you?" Her blue eyes widen in shock. _Bingo. _

"So you're smarter than you look," she says. "That comes off as a surprise." I let more smoke escape from my lips.

"And why might that be, Miss Lawson?" Her eyes flash with anger at the fact that I know her name. _She's highly professional and this was obviously an undercover job for her. Damn Cerberus. I wonder what they're after me for? _

"Because your files don't exactly indicate any form of education," she explains.

"For one who considers herself professional, don't you find assumptions to be dangerous, Miss Lawson?" More smoke escapes my mouth as she scowls. John is extremely close now, one hand holding the gun and the other holding the cuffs most likely.

"Yes, but when they concern scum like you, such things are easily overlooked." I chuckle at that, tossing the cig from my lips. _One... Two...Three... _

Abruptly, I spin on my heel and uppercut her comrade hard in the jaw. Fortunately, I had guessed right about his hands and distance. His full hands caused him to be totally unprepared with any sort of fatal shot.

I give him a second to take in the hit before knocking him to the balcony floor with a strong elbow, his M-3 Predator bouncing away. Turning back to Miranda, I start digging for my M-5 Phalanx but quickly learn it's too late as a blue ball of dark energy crashes into my chest. The force sends me sprawling to the other end of the balcony, planting me on my ass. _How I hate biotics. _

Looking up, she's running for her teammate's gun while bystanders from inside are crowding the deck doors in awe. Briskly I activate my omni-tool's voice command and draw my gun.

"Omni-tool, activate Jetpack seeker mode."

Standing up straight, I found I've beat Miranda to her gun and take aim. _See you on the other side, princess. _Feebly my finger pulls the trigger, blasting a round straight into... her partner?

The black man leaps up right in time to catch the bullet in his shoulder, once again dropping him. This time crimson spatters the balcony.

"Jacob," Miranda gasps, I waste no time for her reaction and fire again, missing due to my sudden flight. Jacob is lying on his back holding me up with biotics, his teeth clenched in pain.

_Damn him! Little do they know I've got some help. _

Miranda glares at me and takes aim one-handed. _Cocky._

The moment she pulls the trigger, an all too familiar savior attaches itself to my back, the jetpack's speed knocking me out of Jacob's hold and back to the ground. Her shot misses by a mile.

"I want you to remember this as the day that you almost, killed...," I start to announce, but Miranda doesn't want anything to do with it and sends another biotic warp my way. I barely have time to glimpse at her before the thing smacks me over the balcony to a perilous fall.

The city below rushes to greet me and for a few seconds, I allow myself to enjoy the adrenaline rush. I grin wildly as Miranda and a few guests peer over the edge after me.

About halfway to my untimely death, I engage my jetpack's thrusters and bolt upwards, gripping my gun tightly.

The jetpack's velocity blows my hair back as I rapidly reach the top of the tower once more, this time spying two kodiak shuttles landing. Each pours out about five white Cerberus troops, each armed to the teeth for assault. I smirk. _Well played, assholes. Well played. _

Stopping in midair, I circle around and boost away from the tower. It only takes a few moments for a commanding voice to point them my way, and soon bullets are raining after me. However, none of the troops are skilled enough to hit me, and soon I disappear around another building.

Knowing I'm not out of the storm yet, I can't help but wonder about Cerberus's intentions. _What could they possibly want with a bounty hunter like me?_

Tonight just didn't add up. Jacob someone and Miranda Lawson. Both are clearly Cerberus operatives and I was their mission. _But why?_ I only know about Miranda Lawson because of my father's mercenary career.

Hovering down into an alley, my omni-tool beeps to inform me I'm at 75% of jetpack fuel. I ignore the warning and land with a thud, breaking into a jog. By now Cerberus will have notified their men on my status. _If they're after me like I think they are, this could be very bad. _

Sheathing my gun, I leave the alley and I sink into a more subtle walking pace. I only get a few odd looks from civilians. Most people don't take the time to acknowledge the jetpack and mistake it for a blue backpack of sorts.

I glance down at my omni-tool desperately. 10:54 P.M, good, Pete will still be open. Stalking up to the shop's back door in another alley, I grab hold of the brass knob and freeze. Quietly as a mouse, I put my ear to the door and listen intently.

"...Yeah I know, but what if he's lying and the guy comes in the front."

"Well that moron will tell us then. Just be ready, he'll be here soon."

I pull away from the door furious. _Damn it Pete. I have to get my suit, no excuses. _

I jog towards the alley's opposite entry point, emerging right in front of the shabby convenience store. I glance through the window and spy one guy admiring merchandise in the corner, but no one else.

I briskly enter the store, ignoring Pete's horrified expression to draw my gun and aim left. As soon as the undercover Cerberus operative turns around, a bullet lodges in his head, crumpling his lifeless body to the floor.

"Oh god Keith, I'm so sorry, please don't hurt me," the fat shopkeeper sobs, backing away from the kiosk. For now I ignore him and ram a bookshelf over, just in time for two other men to rush out from the back room. Immediately they open fire with sub-machine guns, forcing me into cover behind the bookshelf. When they finally stop, I pop up for a second to get an idea of where they are and then drop back into cover. They're so confident that they have control they didn't even seek cover. _Big mistake._

Moving to the bookshelf's opposite side, I lean out and fire two shots at the attacker on the left side of the shop. I don't witness him fall due to the gunfire of his comrade, but I certainly hear his dying scream.

"This is Delta team at the shop, we need backup," the other man starts to say frantically. I stand straight up and shoot him in the head, decorating the wall with gore.

Pete now stares at me in terror. His eyes widening to the point where there like to bust out of his pudgyface.

I walk across the room to him half smiling. I take aim with my M-5 phalanx at his head.

"No, please, I'm sorry! Look, I didn't know what they was gonna do to ya! Honest!"

"I warned you when we started not to double cross me, Pete. This is just business," I tell him. His face contorts with fear as I squeeze the trigger ending his life. From there, I rush downstairs reloading with the last thermal clip on my person.

The basement's unpleasant odor hits me fast as I pass the table. I find a crate to the back of the room. _A place Pete would never care to look. No doubt Cerberus wanted to find the suit. _

Inside I find my suit's rectangular metallic case untouched by Cerberus hands. Lugging it out onto the floor, I unlatch the locks and enter the passcode. It clicks open to reveal my suit's silvery-blue armor laid out in an organized fashion, along with my other M-5 Phalanx and several thermal clips.

In under a minute, I'm fully geared and moving back upstairs. There I find the shop to still be empty of life, except for four corpses... No, three corpses? The man I wasn't sure I finished still squirms in a pool of blood near the corner. _Perfect._

He notices me only when I crouch over him.

"N-No, p-please spare me. I-I," he rasps. Blood trickles from the corners of his mouth while his abdomen and torso bleed. I smile and slap a hand on one of his wound_s, _making him scream. "Ahh, fuck you, fuck you, FUCK YOU!" _He gets louder as I apply pressure, funny. _

Drawing one of my guns I place it on his forehead.

"Tell me what I want to know, got it?" He shakes his head. I slam my free hand down on his stomach, sending him into a coughing fit.

"No! I won't do it."

"Tell me," I insist, punching him again.

"N-no," his breathing is getting weaker.

I pull up my wrist and release a dart from it's launcher, holding it up to show him.

"Inside this dart is a neurotoxin that'll paralyze you and let you feel everything I do to you. So let's play a game."

His eyes widen in panic and he attempts to wiggle away. Holstering my gun, I grab him and pull him close. I stare at him for a long moment, then punch him in the cheek.

"No, stop... p-please."

"Are you going to tell me why Cerberus is after me?"

"I can't. T-they'll kill me, if I do..."

"And I won't?" I punch him again, getting more blood to leak from his lips. "Or do you really want to try this dart game?" I get ready to shove the dart in his neck.

"O-OKAY! The _kid_.._._ t-the _kid, _they're after the _kid,_" he cries. I stare at him in disbelief. _They know about Hunter... How...? _

I drop the dart and seize him by his blood soaked collar.

"How do they know about her?" He gurgles in response. "HOW!"

The man's eyelids flutter shut, his blue eyes no longer open to the living world. I shake him again and again, only to drop his body.

I stand and put all my might into a kick, getting a snapping sound from his neck. Time is of the essence now. _I have to hurry. _

Rushing outside, I find two members of Boston's petty police force waiting for me.

"Titan freeze! We have backup on the way," they shout.

_Pssh, like I'm going to stop for you clowns. _

I spare them their brutal deaths and instead take flight, easily escaping their range of fire and yells of protest below. Glancing back I smirk to myself, seconds before a kodiak shuttle hurls past me. _What the... Shit, its Cerberus! _

The shuttle arcs back at mewhile another appears from the airspace in front of me. The second shuttle turns starboard side and hovers in place_. _The doors slide open to display some familiar faces. All fiv_e_ white troops raise their M-25 Hornets and start blasting away at my maneuvering form. Like a bee I speed directly at them_,_ swerving right and left_. A few _bullets clipmy shields down to 72% before I'm in position for my intent.

_See ya in hell fuckers! _

Tapping my omni-tool, I bow my head for a moment and watch as my jetpack's rocket streaks towards the shuttle. By the time they realize what it is, it's far too late.

In a blaze of shrapnel and fire, the shuttle explodes and goes down instantly. _No survivors there._

I look back to find none other than Miranda Lawson herself leaning out the side of the other Cerberus shuttle chasing me. Her long hair whirls behind her head as she pulls the trigger of an M-3 Predator. I can't help but laugh as the bullets travel astray every time. _And she said she was a good shot. _

Boosting around the sharp corner of a building, the shuttle loses time on me. Unfortunately they're still deep in pursuit, and I need to lose them. Fast.

Looking up at the Boston sky way above, billions of sky cars go about their business. _Well flying up there would be suicide for me so uh, no. There has to be something. _

At last I locate what I'm looking for, a narrow alleyway to_o _small for them to fit. Grinning ear to ear, I speed downwards towards the ground and into the alley. In response, the Cerberus shuttle swings around portside and unleashes a rain of gunfire at me. My suit's shields drop to 30% before I rip around a brick building into safety, nearly crashing into a fire escape in the process. _I've always hated fire escapes. One of these days they're gonna get me. _

Dismissing my omni-tool's mad beeping due to low shields and jetpack fluid, I continue through the maze-like alleyway until I find an exit. I land and jog out onto the filthy street, my eyes quickly spying a batarian walking to his vehicle. _Bingo. _

I draw one of my Phalanxes and aim at him.

"Hand over your keys now," I yell. The alien looks up in surprise, his four eyes wide.

"Damn humans," he grumbles, as I stride towards him and his small red sky car. He looks to the car and then to me, as if examining my armor. Eventually he decides I'm intimidating enough and tosses me the key. Catching it with ease, I walk over to the shuttle and open it; my gun never leaving the batarian's direction.

"Nice doing business with you." I climb inside and slam the door. The batarian glares, then runs off, obviously going to report me to the authorities. _What a tattletale. _

Unstrapping my jetpack, I throw it in the leather passenger seat and activate the shuttle's engine. It's hard to say how much Pete told Cerberus, but they were way too well informed not to cause concern. That's why I have to hurry home to Hunter_._ That kid is my everything.

* * *

**A/N: First action chapter! How'd you guys like it? Curious about this kid? **


	4. Stars

**Mass Effect Bounty Hunter**

"_A bounty hunter never complains." -Jango Fett_

The batarian's sky car proved efficient for the hasty voyage.

I currently found myself soaring over Detroit's wastelands. The wastelands are known as the city's outskirts, where life is cruel, shelter is little, and food is always lacking. I hate the place so much that I don't really recall why I built the mansion so close. The only part of Detroit that was remotely safe is it's heart, and even there homicide is common. _The city's just a mess. _

Glancing down I can see remnants of buildings, glowing fires, and broken down vehicles. Nothing viable or valuable in the city's exterior dump. _Just shit upon shit upon more shit. _

Looking up I set my sights on a large white building several miles ahead. _The closer I get, the more impressive my home looks. _

Detroit's waste ends in a thick forest that spreads out as far as I can see, encircling the 50,000 square feet of neatly trimmed grass a good mile ahead. Centered in the wide open space is the mansion itself, and it's two side towers matching the sky car's current height. I couldn't resist anymore, and accelerate to reach my destination.

Landing the cruiser on the grass within the electric fence running around the mansion's compound, I step out and remove my helmet to gaze at the red sunset. I squint upwards at it and slowly start trudging across the massive lawn, noticing the ache in my chest for the first time. _She got me good with those biotics. Maybe even cracked a rib. _

I smile at the thought of Miranda Lawson as I reach the extravagant front door and enter the passcode drowsily. A blue holo scanner runs across my face afterwards and the door swings open. I find myself face to face with a stout, white-bearded man. His face is gnarled and daunting, but lights up at the sight of me.

"By the gods Keith, you almost gave me a heart attack," he laughs. The M-23 Katana in his big hands lowers and a smile appears on my face. _Ah, it's so good to be home, but I can't forget why I'm here. _

"Good to see you too, Wystan," I say, moving past him into the shiny entrance hall.

Various statues and bookcases mount the walls while a reddish-gold carpet draws a path to the grand staircase. Multiple rooms break off from the entrance hall in between the bookcases and statues. Glancing around I sigh with pleasure and turn to watch the old butler shut the door.

"You're going to want to rearm that right away," I tell him, getting a curious look.

"And why might that be?"

"I believe we've been compromised." As the words leave my mouth I hear the rapid scurrying of feet on tile. I turn away from the butler to face the stairs again and watch a tiny pug rip out of the dining room to my left. The pug pup slides across the white tile clumsily before falling face first on the entrance hall's strip of carpet.

"Bubbles you're gonna hurt yourself!"

My body tenses at her voice. _Her sweet, innocent voice. Hunter... _

When the pug manages to sit up, she enters the entrance hall looking childish as ever. She has her blonde hair tied back in a ponytail and is wearing her favorite blue dress. A smile breaks my lips. _The exact same she looked the day I left a month ago. _

She proceeds to bend over and pick up Bubbles, squeezing the dog close to her chest. Her back is to me so I cough a little, causing her to spin around wide eyed.

"UNCLE KEITH!" Poor Bubbles is thrown to the side as she charges me at full speed with open arms. I barely have time to drop my helmet before I'm catching her in my arms and spinning. Our laughter unifies the room with overwhelming joy as we embrace tightly.

"You're back! You're back! Me and Bubbles have missed you so much," she exclaims, her tiny arms squeezing my neck even tighter. I stop spinning to look at Wystan who grins at me.

"She hasn't gone a day without talking about you," the old man informs me.

"Oh, is that so?" I lift the little girl slightly in the air getting her to giggle while Bubbles yipes at my feet.

"Can we play Uncle? Can we, can we?" Lowering her to the ground I take a moment to examine the cute seven year old. _She looks just like you Lisa. _

"Soon sweetie, okay? I have to get out of my smelly suit first." I pet Bubbles on the head and look to Wystan. "You and I are going to have a chat very soon here."

The butler nods grimly, then smiles at the confused Hunter.

"Ready for dinner, Hunter?" Perking up at that, she takes off into the dining room with Bubbles hot on her heels. "Works every time," Wystan chuckles.

**XVX**

It only takes a half hour for Hunter to pass out after dinner. The boastful little girl often falls asleep easily due to her body's molecular makeup. It all went back to when my sister Lisa died seven years ago. The crash, the exposure, and the ultimate life changing ability an infant had obtained that day. _Yet its only been a curse to Hunter. _

Dwelling on the depressing topic in the mansion's master bedroom, my eyes drift across the room to a sapphire encrusted box. The mere sight of it nearly makes my eyes water.

Standing I grab my pack of cigarettes and walk to the glass cabinet containing said box . Surrounding the box are pictures of a beautiful blonde haired woman with bright blue eyes. Next to her in several of the pictures , is a rugged looking man with dark hair and eyes. I smile. _You certainly did get the best looks from mom, sis. _

I didn't turn to look as the bedroom door swings open. I already know it's Wystan. The service mechs aren't allowed on the upper levels. I programmed them to shut down if they did so, otherwise they'd scare Hunter in the middle of the night.

Staring at the box through the glass, Wystan subtly approaches from behind.

"Hunter is sound asleep, I think seeing you tired the poor girl out," Wystan announces. Exhausted, I turn to face him and smirk.

"That or chasing Bubbles around all day," I reply, walking back across the room to the deck's sliding glass doors.

Wystan chuckles at that and follows me outside. We're both greeted by a symphony of crickets chirping from the massive lawn below. Looking up I realize the moon is out in quite some force tonight, stars are not to be seen. _Due to Detroit's industrial pollution probably._

Sticking a cigarette in my mouth, I spark my lighter and raise the flame to the cigarette tip. It lights instantly, allowing me to inhale gratefully. Wystan watches in content.

"You mentioned that we've been compromised?" The old man breaks the cricket's serenity.

I nod slowly, glancing up at the sky half expecting to see a Cerberus shuttle inbound. _They could attack at any moment. _

"Yeah. Cerberus is after Hunter." Wystan frowns deeply and gazes across the massive lawn. I let smoke spill from my mouth before continuing, "They tried to apprehend me in Boston, when that failed, they elected trying to kill me instead." Wystan looks to me in surprise, his bushy brows raising.

"I thought you said they were after Hunter?"

"Oh they are, but they're also aware that I'm her current guardian." I make eye contact with the old butler.

"I see. Well in that case, what do you suggest we do Keith? Do they know we're here?"

I breath in more smoke and let it go quickly. _Truth is, I'm not sure what to do. _

"I would assume so, unfortunately I have no planned course of action if they decide to show up." Wystan hums in response, then gazes at the moon once more.

"Simple, we do what your father and I always did. We fight."

_Still stuck in his old ways. Lisa where are you when I need you? _

"That method got my father killed," I mutter, smoke leaking through my lips. Wystan appears unpleased at that.

"Only because he acted a fool in his final moments. He was a great man, Keith." _No he wasn't. He was a selfish prick that loved his profession more than his family... _

_Am I monster like he was? _

The thought strikes me like a slap to the cheek. How can I be any better when killing someone gives me pleasure? _Hell, how can I protect Hunter if my hands are as bloody as the people after her? _

"You don't give him enough credit," Wystan continues, nearly pushing me to a breaking point. I could scream right now, but I don't want to risk waking Hunter.

"Credit isn't given where it isn't deserved," I quote, exhaling smoke. Wystan furrows his brows at me. "I wish he wouldn't have forced me into the military."

"Keith that happened over a decade ago, and look where it got you today!"

"All it got me, was some fancy armor, a love for killing, and a goddamn addiction to cigarettes! I don't even have a purpose anymore!" Raising my voice at the big merc veteran was a mistake, but he kept surprisingly calm.

He mumbles something under his breath.

"What?"

"You're wrong," he repeats louder. "You have purpose Keith, she's sound asleep inside this paradise of yours." He indicates the mansion with a wave of his arm. I stare at him long and hard, restlessly smoking.

_Hunter. _

"That little girl should mean everything to you right now," he explains, planting a massive hand on my shoulder. "I know you're not proud of your father Keith, so do what he didn't do, and make yourself proud." The old man squeezes my shoulder tightly then takes his leave. Now I'm left alone underneath the moon's glow.

I sigh heavily and finish the cigarette angrily. _Why did you have to die, Lisa? _

**XVX  
**

Sweating intensely, my eyes flick open to the darkness looming around the bedroom. Outside thunder roars and rain pours. Sighing I roll over to stare outside as lightning flashes.

Letting my eyes drift away from the glass to the silhouette of the Titan suit resting on the table nearby, I notice something white in the helmet's visor. Its hovering around the room. _Searching for something... _

I gulp and ever so slightly roll over to reach for my Phalanx on the nightstand. Again thunder booms and suddenly a ghostly pale girl appears in the lightning's flash.

_What the hell!_

I thrash to the other side of the bed before realizing its Hunter. The seven-year-old climbs on the bed and grabs my bare shoulder with a worried look on her face.

"What are you doing up, sweetheart?" I still clutch the gun in my hand tightly, just in case this some sort of sick nightmare.

She looks back at the bedroom door, roughly ten feet from the foot of my bed. A single tear rolls down her cheek.

"There's someone here," she whispers. I narrow my eyes at her suspiciously and slide out of bed in nothing but boxers. Reaching down at the floor I pull on a pair of jeans, Hunter watches fearfully from the bed.

"You're sure?" _Some sort of alarm should've went off. Wystan usually stays up too. _

Hunter nods. Turning away, I frown just in time for a trio of Cerberus troopers to drop down onto the deck. I widen my eyes at them seconds before a duo of smoke grenades shatter glass into the bedroom.

"Get down," I yell, tackling Hunter off the bed. The force of my weight and her hitting the floor causes her to cry, but I don't have time to care. Adrenaline kicking in, I crawl on my stomach to aim from the bottom of the bed.

"Locate the girl. Kill any resistance," one trooper orders, marching into the center of the room. I lock onto him first, sucking in breath. _See you in hell, pal. _

I tap the trigger twice, sending two bullets through his head in sprays of gore. His squad mates panic in response, spraying bullets around the room with their Mattocks. Hunter's crying draws their attention just as I clip another in the leg.

"Agh, target is underneath the bed," the trooper screams, seconds before I silence him with a killshot.

With the smoke now cleared, the last soaked trooper shoots efficiently at my location. Carpet explodes by my hands and chunks of plaster fly off the walls as I squirm back towards Hunter in cover. _Damnit, damnit, damnit. How could I be so damn naive! I knew this was coming for God's sake! _

"Make him stop!" Hunter wails from the corner. _I will, I swear it. _

Grimacing, I stand up and blast away at the crouching attacker in the center of the room. My first two shots draw blood from his left shoulder and the last punches through his face, but not before a bullet buries itself in my arm.

I curse loudly and fall back to the floor clutching my bleeding forearm. Hunter keeps crying, not even aware the bedroom skirmish is over.

_I have to get her out of here. _

Forcing myself to stand, I roll across the shredded bed to my suit. _Something tells me I'm gonna want the smelly armor back on. _

Gritting my teeth, I slip on the suit's underlayer and gasp as the sleeve constricts my arm. _Once I get the actual thing on, it'll detect the blood and apply medi-gel. Thank fucking god. _

Nearly fully dressed, its before I can get my helmet on that the bedroom door flings open. Instantly I crouch and take aim with both Phalanxes, only to discover its Wystan.

"Don't shoot Keith," he exclaims, waving an arm. "Cerberus has got the place surrounded! We need to leave now!"

Climbing to my feet, I throw the suit's helmet on. My arm throbs in agony underneath a gauntlet as the suit's medi-gel is applied. At the same time it feels soothingly cool. _Medi-gel is something I'm no stranger too. _

"My thoughts exactly," I say, looking over to Hunter. The terrified girl is still curled up in a ball, pinched into the corner. I frown. _Way to get more blood on your hands right in front of her, idiot. _

"How soon can we prep the ship," I ask. Wystan pumps his Katana and backs away from the door at the sound of footsteps.

"Two minutes and it'll be waiting on the roof," he grunts taking aim at the door.

I follow suit, patiently waiting to grant another Cerberus member his death wish.

After a dramatic thirty seconds, I ditch the jetpack and run around the side of the bed to pull Hunter to her feet. She says nothing and looks beyond distressed. _And I'm only making things worse. _

"Okay honey, we have to go," I inform her, getting a curious look.

"I want Bubbles," she mumbles. _I knew I'd regret buying that pup. _

"Bubbles will be where we're going, I promise." _Shit I hate lying to the kid. _

"Okay," she agrees, allowing me to lead her towards the door. Wystan takes point and walks out into the hall aiming his gun.

"Clear," I ask.

"Clear, let's go!"

Chasing the big man down the hall, I keep a pistol in hand and Hunter's wrist in the other. Rounding a corner a set of wooden stairs await us. _Funny how I had them put in for this exact reason. An escape route. _

Wystan comes to a halt and spins around.

"I hit the release on my omni-tool, the ship will be waiting for you," he tells me, glaring down the hallway we came from. I glance from him to the hall. _The crazy fool thinks he's going to hold the stairs while we escape._

"Fine, but as soon as you hear me on your omni-tool, get your ass up there, got it?"

The butler nods slowly, his eyes still locked on the hallway. Giving him a pitiful look he can't see, I rush past him leading Hunter up the stairs. Nearing the roof I can hear the rain pounding on the wooden hatch ahead.

"You said Bubble would be here," Hunter complains.

"He is honey, he's in the ship. So we have to hurry." _Adding fuel to the fire, Keith._

Shoving the hatch open, the rain attacks me relentlessly as I scramble to the roof. I turn to heft Hunter up. She shrinks at at the icy rain as I set her down on the flat roof. Sure enough, my father's tiny cargo vessel, _Venus, _is resting twenty feet away.

Thunder booms overhead as we sprint towards the ship. Bringing up my omni-tool, I speak clearly.

"Open ship doors now." Wystan's maintenance and my initial preparations pull through as _Venus_'s side doors obey. Revealing something very familiar to a kodiak shuttle's interior without the seats. Not wasting time, I toss a Hunter on board and raise my omni-tool again.

"Wystan, get your ass up here!" For a few moments all I can here is the pitter-patter of rain, then he suddenly blares through.

"_On my way, the bastards must be searching the rest of the house. Should I set the house to self-destruct?" _

I sigh and gaze up at the stormy night. _I don't want to, but... _

"Yeah, do it. We won't be coming back."

"_Okay, we've got five minutes. I'm on my way up." _

"Roger that." Hunter starts to sob again. "What's the matter sweetheart?" _Idiot, you're fleeing your home from Cerberus, that's the matter! _

"You, you, you said Bubbles would be here," she wails back. I slap a hand to my visor. _Right. _

"Look he'll be here soon I promise..." I stop talking when she points behind me. Whipping around, a Cerberus shuttle hovers high above the roof. _Damn it. _

The doors slide open for a single man to front flip down onto the roof from an astonishing height. I narrow my eyes at the mysterious man in all black and watch him stand erect, placing a gloved hand to his ear.

"This is Leng, all forces stand down. I have this under control," he says, his voice icier than the rain itself. Lazily he draws a sword from his back and examines me with a tilt of his head. His eyes are hidden behind a strange visor of sorts, while a small ponytail lays across the top of his head. _Okay, Lawson was perfect and I escape_d _her. I can escape this clown. _

Lifting my omni-tool, my eyes don't leave my opponent.

"Wystan, hurry."

"_Almost at the top," _ he huffs back, _"I'm... not as young, as I used to be." _

Not hesitating, I draw my other pistol and take a few steps forward. Hunter sobs behind me uncontrollably, totally confused by the events unfolding. _I'd comfort her, but I have a clown to deal with first. _

Abruptly, my assailant charges me, his boots splashing water this way and that. I smirk and aim with both pistols, my index fingers tapping in rapid unison.

I'm amazed when he brings up a biotic barrier with one hand, and deflects the bullets with ease. The hints of a smile appear on his face when I stop shooting. _I might be in for more than I bargained for. _

Sheathing one pistol, I run at him in return and fire one-handed. He keeps blocking the shots feebly. He meets me with a sword swipe that nearly shatters my wrist, but not quite, the suit's material holds. I throw him off and try shooting his leg, only to receive a swift side kick to the head.

The powerful kick sends my ears ringing as I crash to the ground. Quickly I roll across the roof expecting another attack, only to realize he's disappeared. I look back at the ship to learn he's sprinting for it at full speed. _Hunter. _

Straightening up on a knee, I aim with my left gauntlet and blast a thick cord after him. _Bulls eye. _

The cord successfully latches onto his back. It causes no concern for him however, because he continues to run at the ship up until I retract the wire.

He's shocked to fall backwards and start scraping across the roof. Eventually he twists around to cut himself free, not aware that he's in range of my other gauntlet's ability. Pushing a red button near the bracer, a powerful burst of flame kicks out of a small barrel on my gauntlet. The rain is powerless to stop it as it licks at him, only to be blocked by his barrier again. _Damn him. _

Stopping my attack, I start backpedaling from him. He follows, preparing what looks to be a fatal sword swipe. I duck just in time for the blade to sail over my head and a knee to collide into my face.

Scrambling to keep my feet, he stalks forward spinning the sword with one hand.

"Somehow I thought you'd be better than this, Sawyer," he muses. I crawl to my feet a few feet away and start shooting with a pistol again. This time Leng side-flips, misdirects a bullet with his sword, and lunges.

My eyes widen, my lungs constrict, my heart stops. _Is this it, the end?_

I'm amazed to be thrown aside at the last moment. Looking up I find Wystan, the sword cleanly gouged through his gut. _Wystan, you old fool. _

The old butler shudders and grabs the sword, bringing about more blood from his hands. Leng jerks on it, failing to tear it out just yet.

"Go Keith," Wystan croaks, "Now... I can't hold him forever." The rain drenches the three of us as I helplessly stare at my long time friend. I shake my head.

"Not happening."

"Damn it, listen to me boy… This guy, is too good for you. R-Run... while you can." I stare in disbelief, gather my feet, and sprint for Hunter. _Son of a bitch, turn around and fight you weakling. _

But I don't. I can't. My feet won't stop, my armor feels heavy, my breathing shallow, and Hunter needs to leave.

Climbing aboard _Venus, _I glance back just in time to see Wystan fall face first in the rain. Meanwhile Leng is streaking towards Hunter and I, a look of pure determination on his face.

"Shit," I shout, running into the cockpit. Starting the ship's engine, I flip various switches and pull levers, hoisting the ship into steady ascent. Below I see Leng try to jump for the ship, but fall just short. _See ya later. _

"Hunter, honey, come in here and take my hand."

The little girl obeys, startling me with something furry in her hands. Looking over, I find a slobbery Bubbles looking up at me, his tongue picking his nose effectively. I can't help but smile as I push the throttle and launch high into the sky. Ripping of my helmet, I throw it to the floor and watch the storm clouds disperse as space draws near. Before I know it, we break through the Earth's ozone layer and find ourselves slowly drifting away the massive planet.

"Uncle Keith," Hunter breaks the silence with a nervous tone.

I look over calmly.

"Yes?"

"What are those," she inquires, pointing a finger out the glass. I trace her small finger to the thousands of blue specks floating in the inky darkness. Somehow I manage a smile again. _If only Wystan could hear this. _

"Those… Those are stars."

**A/N: Sorry this chapter took so long guys; hope you enjoyed some of our protagonist's background as well as the action! Oh and big news, I now have a beta! Xforeverquotex! She's great and is responsible for helping out a bunch! Hope you liked the chapter, more to come soon! **


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